An optical system includes two imaging optical systems, each imaging optical system including a reflective optical element having a reflecting surface and a held part at a different position from the reflecting surface, the reflecting surface configured to reflect light incident from a subject side; a first holding body configured to hold the held part of the reflective optical element of one of the imaging optical systems; and a second holding body configured to hold the held part of the reflective optical element of the other one of the imaging optical systems. When the first holding body is combined with the second holding body, the reflecting surface of the reflective optical element of the one of the imaging optical systems is opposed to the reflecting surface of the reflective optical element of the other one of the imaging optical systems.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An optical system, comprising: a first imaging optical system including a first reflective optical element, wherein the first reflective optical element includes a first reflecting surface and a first side surface at a different position from the first reflecting surface, and the first reflecting surface is configured to reflect light incident from a subject side; a second imaging optical system including a second reflective optical element, wherein the second reflective optical element includes a second reflecting surface and a second side surface at a different position from the second reflecting surface, and the second reflecting surface is configured to reflect light incident from the subject side; a first frame including a first wall to fix the first side surface of the first reflective optical element; and a second frame including a second wall to fix the second side surface of the second reflective optical element, wherein when the first frame is aligned with the second frame, the first reflecting surface of the first reflective optical element is opposed to the second reflecting surface of the second reflective optical element, the first frame does not contact the first reflecting surface and does not contact a first back surface opposite the first reflecting surface of the first reflective optical element, and the second frame does not contact the second reflecting surface and does not contact a second back surface opposite the second reflecting surface of the second reflective optical element.
2. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein when the first frame is aligned with the second frame, the first reflecting surface of the first reflective optical element is not in contact with the second reflecting surface of the second reflective optical element.
3. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the first reflective optical element and the second reflective optical element have a same shape.
4. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the first frame includes a first lens positioner within a first plane intersecting with the first reflecting surface of the first reflective optical element, the first plane extends along a direction at which light is reflected by the first reflecting surface of the first reflective optical element, and the first lens positioner is configured to position a lens constituting the first imaging optical system with respect to the first frame.
5. The optical system according to claim 4, wherein the first lens positioner is configured to position the lens with respect to the first frame in a direction along an optical axis of light incident on the first reflective optical element and in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the light incident on the first reflective optical element.
6. The optical system according to claim 4, wherein the second frame includes a second lens positioner within a second plane intersecting with the second reflecting surface of the second reflective optical element, the second plane extends along a direction at which light is reflected by the second reflecting surface of the second reflective optical element, and the second lens positioner is configured to position a lens constituting the second imaging optical system with respect to the second frame.
7. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the first frame includes a first contact within a first plane intersecting with the first reflecting surface of the first reflective optical element, and the first plane extending along a direction at which light is reflected by the first reflecting surface of the first reflective optical element.
8. The optical system according to claim 7, wherein the second frame includes a second contact within a second plane intersecting with the second reflecting surface of the second reflective optical element, and the second plane extending along a direction at which light is reflected by the second reflecting surface of the second reflective optical element.
9. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the first reflective optical element is a first prism, the first prism includes a pair of side surfaces positioned at sides of each of the first reflecting surface, a first incident surface, and a first exit surface of the first prism, the pair of side surfaces including the first side surface, and the first frame includes a holder configured to hold the pair of side surfaces of the first prism.
10. The optical system according to claim 9, wherein the second reflective optical element is a second prism, the second prism includes a pair of side surfaces positioned at sides of each of the second reflecting surface, a second incident surface, and a second exit surface of the second prism, the pair of side surfaces including the second side surface, and the second frame includes a holder configured to hold the pair of side surfaces of the second prism.
11. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the first imaging optical system includes a plurality of first reflective optical elements including the first reflective optical element.
12. The optical system according to claim 11, wherein the second imaging optical system includes a plurality of second reflective optical elements including the second reflective optical element.
13. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second imaging optical systems are disposed to receive light from subjects in different directions, and the first reflective optical element and the second reflective optical element reflect the light from the subjects to opposite directions.
14. An imaging system, comprising: the optical system according to claim 1; a first image sensor to form a first image captured by the first imaging optical system; and a second image sensor to form a second image captured by the second imaging optical systems.
15. An imaging apparatus, comprising: a casing which accommodates the imaging system according to claim 14 within the casing; and operation means for operating the imaging system.
16. The imaging system according to claim 14, wherein the first and second images are combined to obtain a combined image.
17. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the first wall has a first wall surface orthogonal to both a first incident surface and the first reflecting surface of the first reflective optical element, the second wall has a second wall surface orthogonal to both a second incident surface and the second reflecting surface of the second reflective optical element, the first side surface and the first reflective optical element are bonded together, and the second side surface and the second reflective optical element are bonded together.
18. The optical system according to claim 17, wherein the first wall surface protrudes with different amounts along an optical axis of light incident on the first reflective optical element and does not cover the first reflecting surface so that the first reflecting surface is exposed, and the second wall surface protrudes with different amounts along an optical axis of light incident on the second reflective optical element and does not cover the second reflecting surface so that the second reflecting surface is exposed.
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January 21, 2020
January 14, 2025
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